THE DEAD WHISPER by EMMA CLAPPERTON

Well that’s us into November and still great books are being published, its so hard to behave and not dive into every Blog Tour but Bloodhound Books just have to dangle that carrot. Today its my spot on the Blog Tour for The Dead Whisper by Emma Clapperton, thanks go to Sarah Hardy and Bloodhound for the invitation.

Book Synopsis

D.S Preston and D.C Lang are sent to investigate the death of a young girl in an old manor house in Glasgow. But who would want to kill an innocent girl in her own home and why? When they believe their questions have been answered the case is closed.

Meanwhile, Sam Leonard could not be happier – he has a great acting career and a fantastic girlfriend. After being in a previously turbulent relationship, what could go wrong?

For Patrick McLaughlin life is going well. His marriage is stable and with a baby on the way, things can only get better.

But the house that Patrick moves into is not what it seems. With a family burial plot in the gardens, visions and messages from the deceased, and a recent death in the house, will Patrick and Jodie regret their purchase?

In order to lay the ghosts to rest questions will be asked but can the house ever let go of its past?

The Dead Whisper by Emma Clapperton is another book in the series featuring Preston & Lang. I shall hold my hands up and admit I have made a grave error in not reading any of Emma’s books in the past, boy have I missed out. So in reading out of sync I shall be rectifying my abysmal blunder and I will read the previous books forth with, please excuse my behaviour Emma.

When I first started reading The Dead Whisper I based my assumptions on the synopsis, thinking it would be a psychological thriller, it is, but with a twisting intrinsic web of paranormal woven through the plot bringing an unprecedented outlook to what would be the usual psychological thriller.

The opening chapter hits full on with a funeral, where we are first introduced to the Hendersons, a well to do family with close bonds, giving us an insight to the inner turmoil death can bring to a family. We swiftly move on in years to the crime scene in which a young lady lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, Preston and Lang are brought in to try and determine if the death was an accidental or murder. As the investigation progresses it seems to be an open and shut case, are there some questions still to be answered, but the case is closed, no apparent foul play.

As The Dead Whisper develops we become acquainted with Sam an actor who has finally hit a pinnacle in his career and started a new relationship, his life couldn’t get any better, or so we are led to believe. Things start to awry, with no rhyme or reason what or who could possibly want to ruin what Sam has actively sought to achieve.

Patrick an associate of Preston and Lang, is a psychic, who assisted in a previous investigation leading to the capture of a serial killer, Lang is dubious of Patricks abilities, he is not quite willing to believe Patrick can communicate with the dead. Before we can catch our breath it seems that Patrick is embroiled in another case but at what cost to his family.

Preston, Lang and Patrick once again join forces, the investigation is not what it seems and the end………….well the answer lies in reading the book.

For a book which gradually builds, moulding itself around the hypothesis of a general psychological thriller it begins to give the illusion of fun house mirrors, where it will bend and warp your thinking, its unconceivable how easy it is to be led up the garden path. Emma had me voraciously eating the words, absorbing the tenacity of the plot to the point my brain felt like alphabet soup, spelling out the clues, trying them, testing them, before I knew it the end had come, it wasn’t my suspect……….. so whodunit??

Thank you to Bloodhound Books and Emma Clapperton for an advanced readers copy of The Dead Whisper in exchange for an honest review. Thank you also to Sarah Hardy for selecting me again to be part of another of your Blog Tours, it been a pleasure.

Author Bio

Emma Clapperton, born December 1985, has always had a passion for reading and writing. She particularly enjoys reading supernatural or horror books. James Herbert is a firm favourite, with The Ghosts of Sleath being one of the books which pushed her to go on to create her own supernatural crime series, featuring Patrick McLaughlin. The books are based in Glasgow and there are plenty of references to the city in her work.

Emma studied childcare and gained qualifications to work with the early years in 2002, later going on to work in the Montessori sector of early years. In 2017 she gained a qualification to work as a Forest School early years leader and can often be found teaching three and four year olds how to cook on an open fire. Alongside this she is also studying for a diploma in Montessori Early Childhood Practice.

She currently resides in a little town outside of the city of Glasgow with her husband and ginger cat and is working on future projects.